


Out of the Darkness

by tour_treasure



Category: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-23
Updated: 2012-12-23
Packaged: 2017-11-22 03:38:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/605412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tour_treasure/pseuds/tour_treasure
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are days when Jack just wants to get on a plane and leave it all behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Out of the Darkness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vlieger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vlieger/gifts).



> Spoilers for the first two episodes

Jack wondered if it was too late to get on a plane and get the hell out of here before anything else could happen. Who knew that a press conference could go so wrong? Okay, so truth be told he should have been one of the ones that did, he’d worked in television long enough. What was White thinking letting her lose on NBS without supervision?

Fine, so things hadn’t been going terribly at the start, if pressed he might even say he’d been impressed by how well it was going. That should have been the first clue that things were about to crash and burn. If he believed in such things one could almost have said that it was the Jack Rudolph curse. Of course things like that were for idiots who didn’t know any better!

It had all been going well until Matt and Danny got out there. I’d even been prepared to let Matt’s off hand remark about us making love pass without comment. Maybe if some idiot hadn’t asked about what happened with the movie things wouldn’t have crashed and burned. At least he presumed it would’ve continued on the way it had started. He’d have to have words with Shelly about how exactly they were going to fix this debacle.

It was that moment that Jack decided maybe it was time to write his Christmas list. Sure it might be a long time til the big day but it was never too early to start thinking about exactly what he was going to do this festive season. Everyone thinks that having my job is easy but if they had to deal with Jordan and that rabble at Studio 60 they’d all be planning their exit pretty quick.

~ * ~

Jack poured himself a scotch and then sat himself down on his sofa. The focus group had been bad enough, but then with Jordan’s mugshot plastered all over the news all day.... well lets just say he’d spent a lot of the day trying to put out fires.

It really wasn’t how he liked to spend his day, especially so soon after the whole thing with ‘Crazy Christians’. What did a guy have to do to get a break around here? Normally he wasn’t adverse to a good fight but this was just ridiculous. If Rapture Magazine thought he was going to end up in a fiery pit when the world ends then he’d just as soon get it over with.

When he’d drunk half his scotch he went over to his desk and pulled out a pad. It made a satisfying sound as he dropped it onto the shiny surface and then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his favourite pen. After a few moments staring at the blank page he finally lent down and wrote the first thing on his list.

_1\. Fire Extinguiser_

It would come in handy for when something else went wrong...

Oh wait, that’s right, it already did! Who gets through five interviews and manages not to mention the fact she has an ex-husband? Jordan is certainly something and it’s making his life difficult. He poured himself another drink and ignored the voice that told him this was probably what landed Jordan in trouble in the first place.

_2\. Muzzle_

Technically this wasn’t a gift for him but it might shut up Jordan’s ex long enough to buy them some breathing space. He’s not stupid enough to think it’d silence the man for long but it might just be enough to buy them some breathing space. Time to plan an attack was always beneficial, even if he’d learnt long ago to think on his feet. It would enable him to mobilise the forces he needed to crush the opposition.

Normally he wasn’t a cruel man but he was getting the impression that Ryan wouldn’t let go of his money-making opportunity unless Jack was ruthless. Besides, it had been a while since he’d let himself have that much fun.

He shook his head, his wife would probably have a few choice words about his choice of entertainment. Maybe crushing someone wouldn’t exactly be fun, but he’d been spoiling for an opportunity to vent his frustrations and this was all that had turned up. There might not be anything he can do about what’s currently going on in his marriage, as much as he wants to he might not be able to fix it, and this is something he can do.

_3\. Good ratings_

This probably wasn’t unique amongst those in his business. It wasn’t even a unique wish he’d had this year. He’d been trying to fix something that’d been taking on water for a long time and this was just the situation he had to deal with.

Jack drank from his glass again and almost had the urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. For all his protestations there was something that told him maybe this time might be different and that’s what worried him. He couldn’t afford to be sucked into the madness that was Studio 60. This evening would be the first time he’d know what way this situation was going. The ratings tonight would tell him whether he’d have to put Jordan out of her misery and fire her.

_4\. Wrangler_

The mob at Studio 60 definitely needed something to keep them in line and maybe what he needed was a professional. He probably shouldn’t invest so much attention in one show since he had a lot of other things to worry about besides an unruly stepchild right now. Then again it was easier to focus on something he could blame for all their problems.

Jack had always been better with foes he could see rather than the general slide into insignificance that had happened at NBC. That meant Studio 60 had to get their acts together and start to behave like professionals. If that was even possible because he wasn’t sure it was.

_5\. Faith_

Jack wasn’t faultless and he’d never admit it in public but sometimes he would like to have a little more faith. His judgement was usually good and he trusted it when it came to business decisions but personal ones were a bit of a black hole.

Money decisions came easily to him and he was no stranger to making the tough decisions. It just meant it was lonely at the top because he had to keep a distance. Reputation was a powerful thing in this town and he wouldn’t surrender it just to be liked. Occasionally he wanted to be able to have a conversation with someone without the knowledge that one day he might have to fire them.

He heard the sound of the fax machine working delivering the rating results. Maybe it was time to update his resume....

~ * ~

When he arrived at the after show party he saw her pacing. She looked worried, like she wasn’t quite sure if something heavy was about to drop on her head.

He interrupted the hotel staff member who was about to deliver the news to Jordan. He wanted to tell her himself to see her reaction when she found out. It wasn’t often he got to deliver this sort of news and he wanted to make the most of it.

He couldn’t believe they’d had their biggest night in fourteen years. It seemed inconceivable that she’d been here so little time and manage to have such an impact. She looked so happy and he ran an appraising eye over her. Maybe this one would be worth getting to know after all.

He felt his wife smiling beside him and for a moment he basked in the glow of success. He might as well enjoy it while it lasts because he’s positive it won’t last. There were times he loved his job, and tonight is definitely one of them.

Tomorrow he’ll be back to wondering if it’s too late to get on that plane as he’s doing damage control after yet another disaster. Until then he’s just going to bask in success, after what he’s had to deal with these past two weeks he deserves it!


End file.
